Echinacea plant named &#39;Sweet342&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Echinacea  plant named ‘Sweet342 ’, characterized by its broadly upright plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; strong flowering stems; numerous large single-type inflorescences with red purple-colored ray florets and red-colored receptacle spines with black-colored apices; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Echinacea purpurea.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SWEET342’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Echinacea plant, botanically known as Echinacea purpurea, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sweet342’.

The new Echinacea plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new freely branching and relatively compact Echinacea plants with unique and attractive ray floret coloration.

The new Echinacea plant originated from an open-pollination in July, 2014 in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands of an unnamed seedling selection of Echinacea purpurea, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Echinacea purpurea as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Echinacea plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands in July, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Echinacea plant by in vitro meristem culture in a controlled environment in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands since June, 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Echinacea plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Echinacea have been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sweet342’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sweet342’ as a new and distinct Echinacea plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Strong flowering stems.     -   5. Numerous large single-type inflorescences with red         purple-colored ray florets and red-colored receptacle spines         with black-colored apices.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Echinacea can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Echinacea differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Echinacea are more uniform than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Echinacea are more freely flowering than         plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Echinacea can be compared to plants of Echinacea hybrida ‘Cleopatra’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,631. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Echinacea differ primarily from plants of ‘Cleopatra’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Flowering stems of plants of the new Echinacea are longer         than flowering stems of plants of ‘Cleopatra’.     -   2. Plants of the new Echinacea are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Cleopatra’.     -   3. Plants of the new Echinacea have larger inflorescences than         plants of ‘Cleopatra’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Echinacea plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Echinacea plant.

The photographs on the first sheet are side perspective views of a typical flowering plant (upper photograph) grown in a ground bed in an outdoor nursery and placed in a container for the photograph and a group of typical flowering plants (lower photograph) of ‘Sweet342’ grown in a ground bed in an outdoor nursery.

The photographs on the second sheet are close-up views of a typical inflorescence (upper photograph) and the upper surface of typical leaves (lower photograph) of ‘Sweet342’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the summer in ground beds in an outdoor nursery in Zuidwolde, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typically used in commercial Echinacea production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 6° C. to 18° C. Plants were six months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Echinacea purpurea ‘Sweet342’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Unnamed seedling selection of Echinacea             purpurea, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Unknown selection of Echinacea purpurea, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By in vitro meristem culture.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one week at             temperatures about 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About five             weeks at temperatures about 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically pale cream in             color, actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; broadly             upright plant habit, narrow inverted triangle; freely             branching habit with about ten lateral branches developing             per primary branch; moderately vigorous growth habit;             moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 49.7             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 61.5             cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 51.5 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 31 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm.             Internode length: About 4.7 cm. Aspect: About 25° from             vertical. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster:             Densely pubescent; moderately glossy. Color: Close to 144A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Basal leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length: About             18.3 cm. Width: About 9.6 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute.             Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire, occasionally shallowly to             coarsely dentate. Texture and luster, upper and lower             surfaces: Moderately pubescent, strigose, rough, slightly             rugose; slightly glossy. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color:             Developing leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 143A.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Slightly darker than             between NN137A and 147A; venation, close to 144A. Fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,             close to 144B. Petioles, basal leaves: Length: About 9.6 cm.             Width: About 3 mm. Height: About 3 mm. Strength: Strong,             flexible. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Sparsely pubescent; glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to             144B strongly tinged with close to between N186C and N186D.             Color, lower surface: Close to 144A slightly tinged with             close to N186D.         -   Cauline leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 8.2 cm. Width: About 3.2 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire, occasionally             shallowly to coarsely dentate. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Moderately pubescent, strigose; slightly             glossy. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 143A. Fully expanded             leaves, upper surface: Slightly darker than between NN137A             and 147A; venation, close to 144A. Fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to 144B.             Petioles, cauline leaves: Length: About 1.6 cm. Width: About             2 mm. Height: About 2 mm. Strength: Strong, flexible.             Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely             pubescent; glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 144B             strongly tinged with close to between N186C and N186D.             Color, lower surface: Close to 144B slightly tinged with             close to N186D. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Large single-type inflorescences with ray and             disc florets arranged on a capitulum; inflorescences             positioned upright above the foliar plane on strong             peduncles.         -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit with about 30             inflorescences developing per plant during the flowering             season.         -   Fragrance.—Moderately fragrant, slightly acidic and             pleasant.         -   Time to flower.—Plants begin flowering about 100 days after             planting; in the garden, plants flower continuously during             the summer in The Netherlands.         -   Inflorescence longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good             substance for about two weeks on the plant; inflorescences             not persistent.         -   Inflorescence buds.—Height: About 3.5 cm. Diameter: About             4.8 cm. Shape: Flattened globular. Texture and luster:             Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Involucral bracts, close to             N186C; developing ray florets, close to 46B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 11.4 cm. Depth (height):             About 4.2 cm. Disc diameter: About 4 cm.         -   Receptacles.—Height: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 9 mm.             Color: Close to 155C.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 26 arranged in             a single whorl. Length: About 5.3 cm. Width: About 1.3 cm.             Shape: Oblanceolate. Apex: Emarginate. Base: Cuneate.             Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous, moderately velvety; matte. Texture and luster,             lower surface: Smooth, glabrous, slightly velvety; slightly             glossy. Aspect: Outward, close to horizontal. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 46A. When opening, lower             surface: Close to 60C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to             53A; venation, close to 53A; color becoming closer to 59B             with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 60C;             venation, close to 60C; color does not change with             development.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity and arrangement: About 300 per             inflorescence, arranged spirally at the center of the             receptacle. Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 mm.             Shape: Tubular; proximally, 17.5% free, not fused. Apex:             Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire. Aspect: Mostly upright.             Texture and luster, inner and outer surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; glossy. Color, when opening, inner and outer             surfaces: Apex: Close to 147C tinged with close to 183A.             Mid-section: Close to 147C. Base: Close to 187C. Color,             fully opened, inner and outer surfaces: Apex: Close to 147C             tinged with close to 183A. Mid-section: Close to 147C. Base:             Close to 187C.         -   Receptacle spines.—Quantity: One per disc floret. Length:             About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Shape: Acicular. Apex:             Narrowly acute. Base: Cuneate. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; glossy. Color: Apex: Close to 203A. Mid-section:             Distally, close to 42B; proximally, close to 23A. Base:             Close to 144B.         -   Involucral bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 80             arranged in about four whorls. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width:             About 3.5 mm. Shape: Narrowly ovate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire; moderately pubescent. Texture and             luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly             glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 137B. Color, lower             surface: Close to 143B.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 13.1 cm.             Diameter, terminal peduncle: About 5 mm. Strength: Strong.             Aspect, terminal peduncle: Upright. Texture and luster:             Moderately pubescent; moderately glossy. Color: Close to             146B with random spots, close to 144B to 144C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium (present only on disc             florets): Quantity per floret: Five. Filament length: About             3 mm. Filament color: Close to 153D. Anther length: About             3 mm. Anther width: About 0.5 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly             oblong. Anther color: Close to 203C. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 23A. Gynoecium (present             only on disc florets): Quantity per floret: One. Pistil             length: About 6 mm. Style length: About 5 mm. Style color:             Close to 151B. Stigma diameter: About 3.5 mm. Stigma shape:             Decurrent, cleft. Stigma color: Close to 200A. Ovary color:             Close to 145D. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit development             have not been observed on plants of the new Echinacea to             date. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Echinacea have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Echinacea     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Echinacea have exhibited good     garden performance and to tolerate rain and wind. Plants of the new     Echinacea have been observed to tolerate high temperatures of about     35° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 10. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Echinacea plant named ‘Sweet342’ as illustrated and described. 